The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 286: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

264 THE COURT OF LONDON was reproaching some one of the male sex in the bitterest terms, reminding him that years back he had seduced her, and that he had even been base enough to propose to her the murder of the child which was the offspring of their illicit amour, The female went on to upbraid her companion with having shamefully abandoned her at the time, and by his cruelties plunged her into that frenzied state of mind which had led her to become the murderess of her babe, Algernon, horrified at what he had heard, was so bewil- dered that he searcely knew what he was doing, and instead of retreating unperceived, he remained rooted to the spot, a turning in the cloister still concealing him from the dis- putants and them from him, But suddenly the female gave vent to a loud ery, imploring merey, and her com- panion, in a terrible voice, denounced her as his “ evil genius’ and threatened to kill her outright, Thereupon Algernon sprang forward, and beheld in the gathering gloom of the hour and the place a female upon her knees at the feet of an individual whom he immediately recognized to be the Reverend Bernard Audley, with whom he had formed some slight acquaintance at a reading-room during his sojourn in Canterbury, The female, who was dressed in deep black, was, as the reader of course understands, none other than Lilian Halkin, But with her name, or anything concerning her beyond what he had just heard, Algernon was at the time utterly unacquainted, The minor canon’s hand was raised to strike her down, but he instantly fell back, with an ejaculation of alarm, while Lilian sprang to her feet the moment he thus made his appearance, Then, quickly drawing down her veil, Lilian seized Al- gernon by the arm, saying, in a quick and excited voice, “Thanks, a thousand thanks, whoever you are, for your well-meant interference, but unless you promise me one thing I shall not continue to experience any gratitude toward you,” Algernon at once replied that he had no interest in doing anything to produce vexation in respect to a lady who, judging from what he had heard, was already sufficiently affiieted, “Then, promise me, kind-hearted stranger,” sald Lilian, “ that you will not expose elsewhere this scene of which accident has made you a witness,” The young nobleman answered, ‘ You may rely upon it, madam, that the private affairs of yourself and Mr, Audley shall not COMmiCcboooks.Gon